Mediating function of heart failure in the causal relationship between diastolic blood pressure and hypertensive renal disease with renal failure:a mediated Mendelian randomization study

Objective:To study the causality relationship between diastolic blood pressure(DBP)and hypertensive renal disease with renal failure(HRDRF)and the mediating role of hear t failure(HF)in the causality relationship by network Mendelian randomization(MR).Methods:Genome-wide analysis of DBP,HRDRF,and HF was downloaded from the public database(Genome-Wide Analysis Study[GWAS])and was used to analyze the results and to conduct mediated MR analysis.Results:Analysis showed that DBP was positively correlated with HRDRF(OR=1.0002,95%CI:1.0001–1.0003,P=1.8076e-05)and DBP was positively correlated with HF(OR=1.0295,95%CI:1.0221–1.0370,P=2.5292e-15).HF and HRDRF had a positive causal effect(OR=1.0001,95%CI:1.0000–1.0001,P=0.0152).Mediation analysis showed that the contribution ratio of HF to the combined effect of DBP and HRDRF was 24.69%.Conclusions:DBP can increase the risk of renal disease with renal failure,and HF may play an impor tant role in mediating this causal relationship.

Serum cystatin C,monocyte/high-density lipoprotein-C ratio,and uric acid for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease and heart failure

BACKGROUND Coronary heart disease(CHD)and heart failure(HF)are the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.Early and accurate diagnoses of CHD and HF are essential for optimal management and prognosis.However,conventional diagnostic methods such as electrocardiography,echocardiography,and cardiac biomarkers have certain limitations,such as low sensitivity,specificity,availability,and cost-effectiveness.Therefore,there is a need for simple,noninvasive,and reliable biomarkers to diagnose CHD and HF.AIM To investigate serum cystatin C(Cys-C),monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio(MHR),and uric acid(UA)diagnostic values for CHD and HF.METHODS We enrolled 80 patients with suspected CHD or HF who were admitted to our hospital between July 2022 and July 2023.The patients were divided into CHD(n=20),HF(n=20),CHD+HF(n=20),and control groups(n=20).The serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were measured using immunonephelometry and an enzymatic method,respectively,and the diagnostic values for CHD and HF were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.RESULTS Serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were significantly higher in the CHD,HF,and CHD+HF groups than those in the control group.The serum levels of Cys-C,MHR,and UA were significantly higher in the CHD+HF group than those in the CHD or HF group.The ROC curve analysis showed that serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA had good diagnostic performance for CHD and HF,with areas under the curve ranging from 0.78 to 0.93.The optimal cutoff values of serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA for diagnosing CHD,HF,and CHD+HF were 1.2 mg/L,0.9×10^(9),and 389μmol/L;1.4 mg/L,1.0×10^(9),and 449μmol/L;and 1.6 mg/L,1.1×10^(9),and 508μmol/L,respectively.CONCLUSION Serum Cys-C,MHR,and UA are useful biomarkers for diagnosing CHD and HF,and CHD+HF.These can provide information for decision-making and risk stratification in patients with CHD and HF.

Kill two birds with one stone:Hapatologist’s approach to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and heart failure

Heart failure(HF)is a major global public health concern,and one of the less commonly known risk factors for HF development is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease(MASLD),as they share a similar pathophysio-logical background.In this article,we evaluated a recently published review article by Arriola-Montenegro et al.This article briefly summarizes the common pathophysiology of HF and MASLD development and evaluates the available therapeutic options to treat both conditions.Clinical practice guidelines highlight the importance of initiating and titrating guideline-directed medication therapy(GDMT)for patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction.GDMT is comprised of the four pillars currently proposed in most clinical practice guidelines,namely angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACEIs),angiotensin receptor blockers(ARBs),angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors,beta-blockers,mineralocor-ticoid receptor antagonists,and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors(SGLT-2i).Given the similarity of pathophysiology and risk factors,recent studies for GDMT regarding ACEIs,ARBs,mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists,and SGLT-2i have shown beneficial effects on MASLD.Nonetheless,other medications for both conditions and novel therapies require more robust data and well-designed clinical studies to demonstrate their efficacies in both conditions.

Coronary artery disease and heart failure:Late-breaking trials presented at American Heart Association scientific session 2023

The late-breaking science presented at the 2023 scientific session of the American Heart Association paves the way for future pragmatic trials and provides meaningful information to guide management strategies in coronary artery disease and heart failure(HF).The dapagliflozin in patient with acute myocardial infarction(DAPA-MI)trial showed that dapagliflozin use among patients with acute MI without a history of diabetes mellitus or chronic HF has better cardiometabolic outcomes compared with placebo,with no difference in cardiovascular outcomes.The MINT trial showed that in patients with acute MI and anemia(Hgb<10 g/dL),a liberal transfusion goal(Hgb≥10 g/dL)was not superior to a restrictive strategy(Hgb 7-8 g/dL)with respect to 30-day all-cause death and recurrent MI.The ORBITA-2 trial showed that among patients with stable angina and coronary stenoses causing ischemia on little or no antianginal therapy,percutaneous coronary intervention results in greater improvements in anginal frequency and exercise times compared with a sham procedure.The ARIES-HM3 trial showed that in patients with advanced HF who received a HeartMate 3 levitated left ventricular assist device and were anticoagulated with a vitamin K antagonist,placebo was noninferior to daily aspirin with respect to the composite endpoint of bleeding and thrombotic events at 1 year.The TEAMMATE trial showed that everolimus with low-dose tacrolimus is safe in children and young adults when given≥6 months after cardiac transplantation.Providing patients being treated for HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)with specific out-of-pocket(OOP)costs for multiple medication options at the time of the clinical encounter may reduce‘contingency planning’and increase the extent to which patients are taking the medications decided upon.The primary outcome,which was cost-informed decisionmaking,defined as the clinician or patient mentioning costs of HFrEF medication,occurred in 49%of encounters with the checklist only control group compared with 68%of encounters in the OOP cost group.

Analysis of the Effect of Extended Rehabilitation Care at Home on the Psychological Condition and Adherence to Medical Compliance Behavior of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Combined with Heart Failure

Objective:To analyze the effects of providing extended rehabilitation nursing services at home to patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)combined with heart failure(CHF)on psychological improvement and adherence to medical compliance behavior.Methods:79 patients with CHD with CHF admitted to Sijia Town Central Health Hospital,Haimen District,Nantong City,Jiangsu Province,between June 2021 and June 2023 were selected and grouped according to the randomized numerical table method.The control group(39 cases)was provided with conventional nursing care and extended rehabilitation nursing care at home was provided to the observation group(40 cases).The psychological status,adherence to medical behaviors,cardiac function,and complications between both groups were compared.Results:The scores of anxieties and depression self-assessment scales(SAS,SDS)of patients in the observation group were lower than those of the control group(t=2.954,3.212;P<0.05);the compliance of patients in the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).The levels of left ventricular ejection fraction,end-systolic and end-diastolic internal diameters(LVEF,LVESD,LVEDD)of patients in the observation group at 58.02±5.34%,44.49±5.16 mm,and 49.16±5.76 mm respectively were better than those of the control group after nursing care(t=3.205,3.288,2.633;P<0.05);the complication rate of the observation group was lower than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Extended rehabilitation nursing at home exhibited a psychological regulation effect on CHD with CHF patients,improved their medical compliance,improved cardiac function,reduced the incidence of complications,and had significant application value.

Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors effects on myocardial function in patients with type 2 diabetes and asymptomatic heart failure

BACKGROUND Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors(SGLT2i)have shown efficacy in reducing heart failure(HF)burden in a very heterogeneous groups of patients,raising doubts about some contemporary assumptions of their mechanism of action.We previously published a prospective observational study that evaluated mechanisms of action of SGLT2i in patients with type 2 diabetes who were in HF stages A and B on dual hypoglycemic therapy.Two groups of patients were included in the study:the ones receiving SGLT2i as an add-on agent to metformin and the others on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors as an add-on to metformin due to suboptimal glycemic control.AIM To evaluate the outcomes regarding natriuretic peptide,oxidative stress,inflammation,blood pressure,heart rate,cardiac function,and body weight.METHODS The study outcomes were examined by dividing each treatment arm into two subgroups according to baseline parameters of global longitudinal strain(GLS),N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide,myeloperoxidase(MPO),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP),and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.To evaluate the possible predictors of observed changes in the SGLT2i arm during follow-up,a rise in stroke volume index,body mass index(BMI)decrease,and lack of heart rate increase,linear regression analysis was performed.RESULTS There was a greater reduction of MPO,hsCRP,GLS,and blood pressure in the groups with higher baseline values of mentioned parameters irrespective of the therapeutic arm after 6 months of follow-up.Significant independent predictors of heart rate decrease were a reduction in early mitral inflow velocity to early diastolic mitral annular velocity at the interventricular septal annulus ratio and BMI,while the predictor of stroke volume index increase was SGLT2i therapy itself.CONCLUSION SGLT2i affect body composition,reduce cardiac load,improve diastolic/systolic function,and attenuate the sympathetic response.Glycemic control contributes to the improvement of heart function,blood pressure control,oxidative stress,and reduction in inflammation.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Adult and Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease: Review of Emerging Data and Future Directions

Heart failure(HF)is common in patients with congenital heart disease(CHD)and there are limited medical therapies.Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors(SGLT2i)are a proven medical therapy in patients with acquired HF,though data are limited in patients with CHD.The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence for use of SGLT2i in patients with CHD and identify future directions for study.In available publica-tions,SGLT2i in patients with CHD seem to be well tolerated,with similar side effect profile to patients with acquired HF.Improvement in functional capacity and natriuretic peptides are mixed,though there is a signal for potential reduction in HF hospitalizations.One prospective study in patients with systemic right ventricles showed an improvement in systolic function for patients already on maximal HF medical therapy.Though lim-ited,there is emerging data on use of SGLT2i in pediatric patients with CHD and HF.Future prospective studies are needed to evaluate for clinically meaningful endpoints,including HF hospitalization,as well as evaluate the hemodynamic impact in subtypes of CHD at high risk for HF.

Risk Stratification and Prognosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Disease

Background:Current guidelines for managing pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH)recommend a risk strati-fication approach.However,the applicability and accuracy of these strategies for PAH associated with congenital heart disease(PAH-CHD)require further validation.This study aims to validate the reliability and predictive accuracy of a simplified stratification strategy for PAH-CHD patients over a three-year follow-up.Additionally,new prognostic variables are identified and novel risk stratification methods are developed for assessing and managing PAH-CHD patients.Methods:This retrospective study included 126 PAH-CHD patients.Clinical and biochemical variables across risk groups were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Fisher’s exact tests.Indepen-dent risk factors were identified using ordered logistic regression,while Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses evaluated their impact on all-cause mortality.A new stratification model for the PAH-CHD population was constructed based on these analyses.Results:Significant survival differences across stratified risk groups were observed(p<0.001),validating the effectiveness of the simplified risk stratification method in PAH-CHD patients.Prothrombin activity was a strong independent predictor of adverse outcomes of PAH-CHD patients(Hazard ratio 0.95,p<0.001,C-index 0.70).A model combining N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide,prothrombin activity,albumin,and right atrial area achieved an area under the curve of 0.89 and a C-index of 0.85.Conclusions:The simplified risk stratification method is applicable to PAH-CHD patients.Prothrombin activity is a strong independent predictor of adverse outcomes.A comprehensive risk stratification approach,incorporating both established and novel biomarkers,enhances accessibility and offers predictive efficacy during follow-up for PAH-CHD patients,comparable to established models.

Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and heart disease:Current perspectives

Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors(SGLT-2i)are antidiabetic medications with remarkable cardiovascular(CV)benefits proven by multiple randomised controlled trials and real-world data.These drugs are also useful in the prevention of CV disease(CVD)in patients with diabetes mellitus(DM).Although DM as such is a huge risk factor for CVD,the CV benefits of SGLT-2i are not just because of antidiabetic effects.These molecules have proven beneficial roles in prevention and management of nondiabetic CVD and renal disease as well.There are various molecular mechanisms for the organ protective effects of SGLT-2i which are still being elucidated.Proper understanding of the role of SGLT-2i in prevention and management of CVD is important not only for the cardiologists but also for other specialists caring for various illnesses which can directly or indirectly impact care of heart diseases.This clinical review compiles the current evidence on the rational use of SGLT-2i in clinical practice.

Effectiveness and mechanisms of sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes and heart failure patients

We comment on an article by GrubićRotkvićet al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Cardiology.We specifically focused on possible factors affecting the therapeutic effectiveness of sodium-dependent glucose transporter inhibitors(SGLT2i)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and their impact on comorbidities.SGLT2i inhibits SGLT2 in the proximal tubules of the kidneys,lowering blood glucose levels by inhibiting glucose reabsorption by the kidneys and causing excess glucose to be excreted in the urine.Previous studies have demonstrated a role of SGLT2i in cardiovascular function in patients with diabetes who take metformin but still have poor glycemic control.In addition,SGLT2i has been shown to be effective in anti-apoptosis,weight loss,and cardiovascular protection.Accordingly,it is feasible to treat patients with T2DM with cardiovascular or renal diseases using SGLT2i.

Interconnected Challenges: Addressing the Bidirectional Relationship between Heart Failure and Cognitive Impairment through Targeted Intervention Strategies

This paper examines the bidirectional relationship between heart failure (HF) and cognitive impairment, underscoring the need for integrated intervention strategies to address these interconnected conditions effectively. Cognitive deficits often hinder the effective management of HF, leading to poorer treatment adherence and health outcomes, while the physiological stress of HF can further impair cognitive function, creating a complex interplay that complicates patient care. This study highlights the effectiveness of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in improving both cardiac and cognitive functions. By targeting the underlying physiological and neurobiological mechanisms of HF, these therapies enhance patient outcomes, leading to better adherence to treatment regimens and overall quality of life. Furthermore, the findings suggest that regular cognitive assessments should be integrated into HF management protocols, enabling early identification of cognitive impairment and timely intervention. Incorporating ACE inhibitors and CRT into standard care practices not only addresses the complexities of managing HF and cognitive decline but also fosters a holistic approach to patient health. Ultimately, this multifaceted strategy has the potential to significantly improve health outcomes, enhance the quality of care, and support sustainable management of patients with heart failure and cognitive impairment.

Cardiac evaluation of renal transplant candidates with heart failure

Patients with advanced kidney disease are at elevated risk of developing heart failure and appropriate risk stratification is important to permit them to receive kidney transplantation.The American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology joint statement provides guidance on risk stratification for the major cause of heart failure for these patients in its recommendations for coronary heart disease.Herein we provide an overview of the available literature on risk strati-fication for nonischemic heart failure and functional heart disease states such as pulmonary hypertension.Many of these options for optimizing these patients be-fore transplant include optimizing their volume status,often with more agg-ressive ultrafiltration.Kidney transplantation remains the treatment of choice for patients with advanced kidney disease and cardiac disease,the correction of the azotemic substances with kidney transplantation has been associated with imp-roved survival than remaining on dialysis long-term.The findings in the studies reviewed here are expected to help clinicians refine current strategies for evalua-ting potential kidney transplant recipients.

Trend Analysis of the Burden of Hypertensive Heart Disease in China from 1990 to 2021

Objective:To quantitatively analyze the burden of hypertensive heart disease(HHD)in China and provide a scientific basis for prevention and control strategies.Methods:Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database were used to assess the disease burden,deaths,years lived with disability(YLDs),and risk factors for HHD in the Chinese population from 1990 to 2021.Results:From 1990 to 2021,HHD cases in China increased from 1.5 million to 3.9 million,with an average annual growth rate of 2.83%.Prevalence rose from 127.76/100,000 to 259.00/100,000,while age-standardized prevalence decreased by 0.68%annually.HHD deaths increased from 232,478 to 320,247,with a mortality rate rise from 19.76/100,000 to 22.56/100,000,though age-standardized mortality decreased by 2.68%annually.YLDs rose from 124,386 to 301,426,with the rate increasing by 2.20%annually,while age-standardized YLDs decreased by 0.67%annually.High sodium intake and low fruit consumption were key risk factors for HHD deaths.Deaths related to low vegetable intake decreased until 2005 and then rose,while deaths from lead exposure showed a similar pattern.Conclusion:HHD cases and prevalence increased significantly,but age-standardized prevalence and mortality rates declined,reflecting the impact of an aging population and improved health interventions.The rise in YLDs highlights the long-term impact on patients’quality of life.Key risk factors included high sodium intake and low fruit consumption,emphasizing the importance of dietary improvements in HHD prevention.HHD remains a significant public health challenge in China,requiring continuous research and targeted prevention strategies.

Real-time Three-dimensional Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Remodeling Index in Patients with Hypertensive Heart Disease and Coronary Artery Disease

Left ventricular remodeling index （LVRI） was assessed in patients with hypertensive heart disease （HHD） and coronary artery disease （CAD） by real-time three-dimensional echocardiography （RT3DE）. RT3DE data of 18 patients with HHD, 20 patients with CAD and 22 normal controis （NC） were acquired. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume （EDV） and left ventricular end-diastolic epicardial volume （EDVepi） were detected by RT3DE and two-dimensional echocardiography Simpson biplane method （2DE）. LVRI （left ventricular mass/EDV） was calculated and compared. The results showed that LVRI measurements detected by RT3DE and 2DE showed significant differences inter-groups （P〈0.01）. There was no significant difference in NC group （P〉0.05）, but significant difference in HHD and CAD intra-group （P〈0.05）. There was good positive correlations between LVRI detected by RT3DE and 2DE in NC and HHD groups （t=0.69, P〈0.01; r=0.68, P〈0.01）, but no significant correlation in CAD group （r=0.30, P〉0.05）. It was concluded that LVRI derived from RT3DE as a new index for evaluating left ventricular remodeling can provide more superiority to LVRI derived from 2DE.

Heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction in older patients with chronic kidney disease: the China Hypertension Survey (2012‒2015)

Background Heart failure(HF)is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality for older chronic kidney disease(CKD)patients.However,the epidemiological data is scarce.We aimed to determine the prevalence of left ventricular(LV)dysfunction and HF,and to explore the risk factors for HF among those patients.Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis of the China Hypertension Survey conducted between October 2012 and December 2015.A total of 5,808 participants aged≥65 years were included in the analysis.Self-reported history of HF and any other cardiovascular diseases was acquired.2-D and Doppler echocardiography were used to assess LV dysfunction.CKD was defined as either estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)<60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or urinary albumin to creatinine ratio(ACR)≥30 mg/g.Results Among CKD patients aged≥65 years,the weighted prevalence of HF,heart failure with preserved ejection fraction(HFpEF),heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction(HFmrEF),and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)was 4.8%,2.5%,0.8%,and 1.7%,respectively.The weighted prevalence of HF was 5.0%in patients with eGFR<60 mL/min per 1.73 m2,and was 5.9%in patients with ACR≥30 mg/g.The prevalence of LV systolic dysfunction was 3.1%,and while it was 8.9%for moderate/severe diastolic dysfunction.Multivariate analysis showed that smoking was significantly associated with the risk of HF.Furthermore,age,smoking,and residents in rural areas were significantly associated with a risk of LV diastolic dysfunction.Conclusions The prevalence of HF and LV dysfunction was high in older patients with CKD,suggesting that particular strategies will be required.

Heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Two for tea or tea for two?

A combination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) is common yet it is inadequately and rarely recognized. Because of the similar clinical manifestations, comorbidity is frequently not considered and appropriate diagnostic tests are not performed. It is very important that a combination of COPD and HF is recognized as these patients have a worse prognosis than patients with an individual disease. When present, COPD should not prevent the use of life-saving therapy in patients with HF, particularly β-blockers. Despite clear evidence of the safety and tolerability of cardioselective β-blockers in COPD patients, these drugs remain grossly underprescribed and underdosed. Routine spirometry and echocardiography in HF and COPD patients, respectively, is therefore warranted to improve current clinical practice.

Prognostic impact of atrial fibrillation on clinical outcomes of acute coronary syndromes,heart failure and chronic kidney disease

Atrial fibrillation(AF) is the most common type of sustained arrhythmia,which is now on course to reach epidemic proportions in the elderly population. AF is a commonly encountered comorbidity in patients with cardiac and major non-cardiac diseases. Morbidity and mortality associated with AF makes it a major healthcare burden. The objective of our article is to determine the prognostic impact of AF on acute coronary syndromes,heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Multiple studies have been conducted to determine if AF has an independent role in the overall mortality of such patients. Our review suggests that AF has an independent adverse prognostic impact on the clinical outcomes of acute coronary syndromes,heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

Sleep disordered breathing in coronary heart disease patients with mild and moderate heart failure

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and degree of heart failure (HF) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 3017 patients (77.4% men and 22.6% women) were included in the study. Clinical examination and echocardiography for evaluation of HF using NYHA functional classification and sleep polysomnography were performed. The study demonstrated that SDB is more common in CHD patients with higher NYHA functional class. The prevalence of central sleep apneas against obstructive apneas was observed in patients with mild and moderate HF. The number of central apneas was strongly related to the severity of heart failure. More frequent appearance of central sleep apneas is predominantly due to instability of ventilatory control systems during sleep because of impaired cardiac function in HF patients. Sleep architecture was more disturbed in CHD patients with higher NYHA functional class. A gradual increase of stage 1 and wakefulness after sleep onset and a decrease of sleep stages 3-4 and REM sleep as well as a diminution of sleep efficiency with worsening of NYHA functional class were observed. We suggest that both SDB and disturbed sleep variables independently significantly correlate with manifestation of HF.

Moving forward on the pathway of cell-based therapies in ischemic heart disease and heart failure-time for new recommendations?

Although substantial advances have been made in treating ischemic heart disease and subsequent heart failure, the overall morbidity and mortality from these conditions remain high. Stem cell-based therapy has emerged as a promising approach for prompting cardiac rejuvenation. Various cell types have been tested in the clinical arena, proving consistent safety results. As for efficiency outcomes, contradictory findings have been reported, partly due to inconsistency in study protocols but also due to poor survival, engraftment and differentiation of transplanted cells in the hostile milieu of the ischemic host tissue. Studies have varied in terms of route of delivery, type and dose of implanted stem cells, patient selection and randomization, and assessment of therapeutic effect. Founded on the main achievements and challenges within almost 20 years of research, a number of official documents have been published by leading experts in the field. Core recommendations have focused on developing and optimizing effective strategies to enrich cell retention and their regenerative potential. Issued consensus and position papers have stemmed from an unmet need to provide a harmonized framework for future research, resulting in improved therapeutic application of cell-based therapies for cardiac regeneration and repair.

An Analysis of the Effects of Blood Pressure and Antihypertensive Drugs on Heart Disease

Background: The American College of Cardiology (ACC), American Heart Association (AHA) and other organizations announced a new hypertension guideline (2017 ACA/AHA Guideline) in November 2017. However, other organizations such as the European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Hypertension maintained their diagnostic thresholds. It is necessary to evaluate the effects of blood pressure (BP) and antihypertensive drugs on the probability of having heart disease (HD). Data and Methods: The effects of BP, antihypertensive drugs and other factors on the probability of undergoing HD treatment were analyzed. We used a dataset containing 83,287 medical check-up and treatment records obtained from 35,504 individuals in 5 fiscal years. The probit models were used in the study. Considering the possibility of endogeneity problems, different types of models were used. Results: We could not find evidence that a higher systolic BP increased the probability of undergoing HD treatment. However, diastolic BP increased the probability in most of the models. Taking antihypertensive drugs also increased the probability of undergoing HD treatment. Diabetes was another important risk factor. Conclusion: The results of this study did not support the new 2017 ACC/AHA Guideline. It is necessary to choose proper drugs and methods to reduce the risks of side effects. Limitations: The dataset was observatory, the data were obtained from just one medical society, and sample selection bias might exist.